Court: Title IX Protects Whistleblowers

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON - A landmark gender-equity law protects whistleblowers who accuse academic institutions of sex discrimination, the Supreme Court said Tuesday, ruling that coaches and teachers may sue for retaliation if they are fired for complaining on behalf of others.

The 5-4 decision sides with Alabama high school coach Roderick Jackson, who said his girls' basketball team received worse treatment than the boys' team. It is a victory for women's advocates who say the legal protection will prompt reports of bias that would otherwise go unsaid or unheeded.

Congress intended to allow whistleblower suits when it passed the Title IX law, justices said.

"The text of Title IX prohibits a funding recipient from retaliation against a person who speaks out against sex discrimination, because such retaliation is intentional discrimination on the basis of sex," Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote for the majority.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=558&ncid=701&e=1&u=/ap/20050329/ap_on_go_su_co/scotus_sex_discrimination

[pennylane100]

1. yeah

every once in a while the supreme court does something right.

[Ms Chicklet]

2. The Bushpigs still trying to undermine Title IX

There are dozens of ways to illustrate why the new guidelines issued by the Bush administration a few days ago to determine schools’ compliance with Title IX are an outrage and a deceit that should be attacked until they’re stricken from use.

But the simplest way to make the argument is to ask a simple question:

What’s not to like about the 1972 federal law that outlaws discrimination on the basis of gender, opened the playing fields of this country to girls, not just boys, and survived every single court challenge it has faced the past three decades?

Bush administration officials have been under heavy criticism since the U.S. Department of Education quietly released a surprise legal clarification on its Web site Friday advising colleges that, for the first time, they can remain in compliance with Title IX based on an e-mail survey of their undergraduate students designed to gauge “interest and ability” in sports. If the responses do not show enough interest – and what exactly constitutes enough has yet to be determined – then an institution can go ahead and presume it is in compliance.

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/journalgazette/sports/colleges/11257113.htm

[salin]

3. Good news - and a huge thumbs up for thr couraage of Mr. Jackson

to go to the matt on the issue - even while be challenged on so many fronts. :thumbsup: